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Country club rezoning, municipal elections on Monday's City Council agenda

Ordinace calling for municipal elections in November to also be considered

Sun-News report

Posted:
08/03/2013 04:43:07 PM MDT

LAS CRUCES >> There won't be substantial discussion by the Las Cruces City Council about the rezoning of a 30.75 acre parcel at the former Las Cruces Country Club for at least another two weeks. But the council will conduct a first reading of a proposed ordinance, at Monday's 1 p.m. City Council meeting, at City Hall, 700 N. Main St.

The ordinance would allow the parcel to be rezoned to C-3c, limited high intensity commercial with conditions, from its current R-1a, single-family residential. Council's approval of the rezoning would enable a private hospital to operate on a portion of the former country club, which closed in late 2011.

Also Monday, the council will likely approve a resolution calling for municipal elections on Nov. 5 for City Council districts 3, 5 and 6, and for Municipal Judge II.

The rezoning application before the council includes two tracts of land, a 23.44 acre parcel that could be rezoned C-3c, and a 7.31-acre parcel that would be rezoned R-4c, limited multi-family high density residential, that would also include conditions on it. Because Monday's council action is intended as a first reading of an ordinance, there will be no public discussion allowed at the meeting.

Any discussion among council members would be limited only to questions clarifying the proposed ordinance.

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If the council agrees to bring the proposed rezoning ordinance forward, which appears likely, the council would then formally consider approval at its Aug. 19 meeting. Then, presentations to the council could be made and it and the public could discuss the rezoning at length.

Monday's council action to bring the proposed rezoning resolution forward is anticipated to take a matter of moments, unless there are procedural questions asked by the council.

But there has already been substantial public discussion, both for and against the proposed rezoning. The Las Cruces Planning and Zoning Commission met June 27 and voted 3-2 to recommend approval of the rezoning, with conditions. At that meeting, residents spoke for more than 2 1/2 hours on the proposal. Some residents living near the former country club expressed concerns about plans to build and operate a hospital at that site, while others endorsed development of the property by Las Cruces developer Robert Pofahl.

The resolution calling for municipal elections is on the council's consent agenda. It could be approved by a single motion from the council without any discussion.

Among council action items at Monday's meeting, it will conduct a public hearing before deciding if it will approve a restaurant liquor license for Genghis Grill, which is expected to open later this month at 840 S. Telshor Boulevard. The New Mexico Alcohol and Gaming Division has given initial approval of the liquor license, but it must also be endorsed by the council.

The council will also consider approving city ordinances aimed at enhancing public notification of subdivision and zoning proposals. These items are the result of direction from the council to expand public notice and related requirements for public meetings prior to formal consideration of subdivision and zoning initiatives.

Items include an ordinance to amend the subdivision code, an ordinance to amend the zoning code, and a resolution to amend the fee schedule to allocate costs to developers for the additional and expanded notification. The combined actions are intended to result in earlier and more expansive public notice for proposed development activities.

IF YOU GO

What: Las Cruces City Council meeting

When: 1 p.m. Monday

Where: Council Chambers at City Hall, 700 N. Main St.

TV/Internet: The meeting will be televised live at 1 p.m. Monday on CLC-TV, Comcast Cable channel 20 and streamed live on the Internet at www.clctv.com. Click on the "Meetings" link, and then on the "View event" link to access the webcast.

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